A New Beginning
by LoveLinny
Summary: It's been three months since Bonnie and Damon were sucked into the unknown of the other side and everyone is coping in their own way. Just my idea of what could happen after the season finale.
1. Chapter 1

"Is Stefan back yet?" Caroline asked as she bounced down the stairs.

"Not yet. Have you heard anything from him?" Matt answered he was the only one around these days. Everyone else was trying to keep busy.

She shook her head looking a little disappointed. Stefan was determined to find a way to bring back Bonnie and Damon. He'd been tracking down witches and land lead he got for months.

"Do you think it's possible? That they can come back?" Caroline asked.

"I don't know, Care. It's been three months. I'm hoping there's something else. For Vickie and Bonnie. Even Damon doesn't deserve to just be... Gone."

"Stefan's not going to give up. It's going to drive him crazy, Matt. And Elena, she still cries herself to sleep every night. I want everyone to be happy again."

"Jeremy's been training with Tyler almost 24/7 to give him something to focus on."

"I feel like you're the only person I've seen since then... Stefan's never here, Elena won't come out of her room, Matt and Tyler leave early. I miss everyone. I don't even know if Stefan's coming back today. He's just, never been gone this long."

"He'll be okay, Care."

She smiled at him. "You know he asked me to go with him this time, I should have."

"Why didn't you?" It was becoming more clear to everyone how much Stefan and Caroline meant to each other. When Stefan was here they were never apart. They even shared the same room, even though Stefan usually slept on the couch, there weren't enough beds in this small house they were forced to stay in.

"Please, this place would fall apart without me." Caroline smiled

Matt smiled back, "you always seem to find a smile for everyone."

"I have too. I'm Caroline Forbes, remember. Anyway, I'm going to try and call Stefan."

"Tell him we miss him." Matt said before she went back upstairs.

Caroline shut the door behind her and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. She went to her contacts and quickly found Stefan. She sighed when she looked at the picture she used for his info. He was smiling, he was happy. She clicked the number and the phone began to ring. She finally got his voicemail. Was she expecting him to answer? He hardly did when he was gone. She always had to wait for him to return the call.

"Hi, Stefan. We miss you, I miss you. You've been gone over a week. I hope you're okay. I should have come with you. I worry about you by yourself. Call me back soon, okay? I need you here, we all do. I feel so alone. Well, I guess I'll take to you later."

Caroline sighed as she hung up the phone. She didn't want to deal with anything right now. She went to the couch where Stefan usually slept. His blanket was still there, folded over the back. She picked it up and layed down on the couch covering herself with the blanket that still smelled like him. She pulled it up to her nose to take in his scent as she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Caroline was woken up by a scream. She shot up and jumped off the couch. Another scream, it was Elena. Caroline rushed down the hall to where Elena's new room. Everyone was surrounding her when Caroline got there. Jeremy was sitting behind her holding onto her as she struggled to get away. Tears were streaming down her face and she was out of breath. Matt and Tyler were standing off to the side. Caroline's eyes meet Matt's and he walked over to her.

"I thought these were over." she whispered to him.

"So did I."

Tyler soon walked over to the both of them.

"I think Jeremy's got this under control. We should give them some privacy." Caroline said. "You two hungry? I could make you something."

"Caroline Forbes, since when do you cook?" Tyler asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh, shut up. Someone has to take care of everyone around here."

"Might as well be the girl." Tyler said jokingly of course, but he still got a soft punch from Caroline as her response.

They all went into the kitchen. Matt and Tyler took a seat at the table as Caroline looked in the refrigerator.

"We have… cheese, bread, and bananas." Caroline pulled out the only three contents of the fridge. "I guess I forgot the have Ms. Flowers go to the store…"

Ms. Flowers was the lady whose house they were staying at. Caroline had compelled her to invite them in and let them stay here. She felt bad about about having to compel, she seemed like a nice old lady.

"Grilled cheese okay?" Caroline asked

"Perfect." Matt smiled

"Great." Caroline turned on the stove and started making their food.

After a few minutes she put the sandwiches on plates and sat them down in front of Matt and Tyler. She took a seat across from them.

"This is actually amazing for just being a grilled cheese." Tyler said after taking a bite.

"Did you expect anything less from me?"

"Seriously, Care. Why have you never cooked for me before?" Matt chimed in with a mouthful.

"My cooking skills are top secret. You can't let anyone know about this." She said laughing. It felt good to be able to joke around, even for just a little bit. Everyone seemed so on edge and closed off these past few months.

"Did you get ahold of Stefan?" Matt asked when is sandwich was gone.

Caroline looked down, "No."

"I'm sorry…" Matt regretted bring it up when he saw how upset it made her.

"It's okay. He's probably just busy…"

"Hey, are you hungry? I could always return the favor and make you something." Matt asked, changing the subject.

"Not for human food…" Caroline hadn't feed in a few days and it was beginning to catch up to her. "I think I'm going to get some air. Can one of you clean this up?" She asked as she got up and headed for the front door.

She stepped out onto the front deck and took out her phone. No missed calls. She dialed Stefan's number again and put the phone up to her ear.

"Caroline." it was his voice, but there was something wrong. He sounded weak and broken.

"Stefan? What's wrong. Where are you?" Caroline was in a panic.

"I'm okay. I'm not that far away. I'll explain later, but I need you." he stopped talking to catch his breath.

"Where are you?"

"I'm not sure exactly. Near woods. I think… only a few miles away. I tried to make it back…"

"Stefan, stay there. I'm coming." She hung up the phone and rushed to the nearby woods.

She had no idea where she was going, just that she needed to find him. Stefan needed her and she wouldn't let him down. She was about two miles down the side of the woods now and she did see any sign of Stefan. She stopped and tried to sense him. She focused on area surrounding her. She focused and finding Stefan, and suddenly she felt something. It was still about a mile or so away from her and she hurried to that spot. It was getting stronger, she could feel Stefan close to her.

"Stefan?" She called out into the darkness. "Stefan?"

"Caroline." Came his small choking voice.

"Stefan." She hurried to where his voice was coming from. She finally spotted him. He was laying on the side of the dirt road next to the woods.

"Stefan." she knelt down by his side. "What happened? Are you okay?" she put her hand to his cheek. He was weak. He looked like he hadn't feed in almost a week.

He shook his head. "I just want to go home." he whispered.

She nodded. "Okay, we'll get you back safe."

"No, home." he looked at her with sad eyes and she knew exactly what he meant. She wanted the same. They all wanted to go back to Mystic Falls and the way everything used to be.

"Come on, give me your hand." she took his hand and helped him get to his feet. He was unstable and needed to put most of his weight on her.

"Let me carry you. It will be faster."

"You can't carry me, Caroline." He knew she was more than capable, but he didn't want her too. He didn't want to feel like a problem.

"Stefan, I'm as strong as you and sometimes stronger." she said with a small smile, "Let me."

He sighed and let her lift him into her arms. "Perk of being a vampire, I guess." she smiled and took off at her fastest vampire speed.

Within the blink of an eye they were back at the house. When they reached the porch she put him back on his feet and opened the door with one hand while supporting him with her other arm. Matt and Tyler were still in the kitchen when they walked in. They both jumped up when they saw Stefan.

"Help." Caroline whispered and Tyler came over to take Stefan to the couch in the living room.

"What happened?" Matt asked

"I have no idea." Caroline said and knelt down beside couch at Stefan's head.

"He needs blood." Caroline gently moved the hair out of Stefan's face.

"I'll go get a blood bag." Tyler got up to go to the basement.

"No, we don't have anymore. They aren't easy to come by around here."

"Then I'll go find an animal."

"No, that will take too long." Caroline said as she pulled down her sleeve and bite her own wrist. She offered it to Stefan. "Here," she whispered, "drink."

He opened his eyes and shook his head.

"You need it, please. It's okay. Take it." She whispered.

He gave in. He put his lips to her wrist and slowly started to drink her blood. Stefan's eyes were closed as he took in her taste. Caroline closed her and leaned her head back. She felt in draining the blood from her, only it didn't hurt. It felt kind of peaceful; it felt natural.

Everything started to get foggy. Caroline knew too much blood was leaving her body for how little she's eaten recently. She felt herself falling and then everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

"Caroline?" his voice was soft and comforting.

She slowly opened her eyes, she felt light headed and weak. "Stefan, you're okay." she smiled up at him, but he didn't smile back. He looked worried.

"Why did you give me your blood when you haven't fed in days?"

"Matt told you?" she sat up, "You needed it more than me."

"Yeah, well now it's my turn. Move over." He sat next to Caroline and put his arm around her for support. He pulled up his sleeve to bite his wrist.

"No," she fought against him, "You just got better. I can't…"

"I went hunting while you were passed out. I found a few squirrels, I'm fine." He put his wrist to her lips as she did for him and he nodded to let her know it was okay.

She smiled up at him as she took in his blood. Stefan held onto her as she drank. She felt the as when he was drinking her blood. It was a feeling she couldn't quiet decried. Stefan, on the other hand, knew all about blood sharing. It's why he got so angry when he learned about Damon and Elena blood sharing. It was an intimate bond between two people. Stefan rested his head on the headboard and a small gasp exacted his lips. Caroline clutched tighter to his wrist as she finished.

"What was that?" She asked clearly feeling the intensity between them.

Stefan ignored her question all together. "Do you feel better?"

She nodded. His blood had brought her back to feeling herself. Then she remembered why they were in this situation. "Are you okay? What happened to you?"

She shook his head. "Not now. We both need rest, okay?"

She closed her eyes, knowing he was right, she was exhausted. He got up fom her bed and pulled the blanket (the one from his couch) over her. "Get some sleep, Caroline. I'll be right over there if you need me." He turned off the light and went to his couch. He used the small blanket from the back of the couch to cover himself up. Soon they were both asleep.

When Caroline opened her eyes the next morning Stefan wasn't in the room. She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. Then she heard his voice, and Elena's coming from the next room.

"You two shared blood? You're such a hypocrite." Elena's angry voice said.

"Elena come on, it wasn't like that."

"No! You freaked out when..." She paused not being able to bring herself to say his name. "When you found out I drank his blood... I thought it was suppose to mean something to you."

Caroline had gotten up and walked into the hallway. Elena looked up to see her standing there and let out a small laugh. "Get out of my room, Stefan."

Stefan gave up and turned to leave. He didn't know caroline was listening. He should have been more carful. This was a conversation he didn't want her to hear.

"Come on, Caroline." He left the room and shut the door.

"What was that about?"

Stefan ignored her question. "Let's get something to eat. We both need more blood."

"What was she so mad that you gave me blood? That I gave you blood?" She wasn't going to let him avoid this.

"Caroline, please not now." Explaning this to her could cross a line. That was something he didn't need right now.

"Fine, then tell me what happened to you." She wanted answers and she would get them. She didn't want to push him, but she wanted answers. Something happened this time he left. Someone caused him pain, and she didn't like that.

"Caroline..."

"No, Stefen. One or the other. Tell me why Elena was freaking out or why I had to come save you in the middle of nowhere."

"Sharing blood..." He paused. He didn't want her to worry about him, so why Elena was freaking out won. "Can mean things to some vampire. When Elena was sired to Damon he let her feed on him. He knew what it meant to me." Caroline gave him a questioning look. "Something almost intimate. Something shared with care and love."

"So, Elena is freaking out because she thinks we had some kind of vampire blood sex?"

"No, she's freaking out because I got got mad at her and Damon. She just misses him. She's not in a good place right now."

"But you needed blood; I needed blood. It wasn't like what she's thinking."

"She just nows. I wouldn't have let it happen unless I really cared about the person." He gave her a small smile. "She's just focused on the fact that we did it."

"I know she misses him, but it's been months. She needs to get out and get her mind off what happened."

"Everyone's tired to help her, she won't listen."

"You know, after everything that happened, I was worried you'd be the one to turn it off. Now, I'm worried she will."

*****Three months earlier*****

They couldn't go back to Mystic Falls; their home would kill them now. They had found a house to stay in. Stefan was pacing the floor of one of the empty rooms. Caroline was watching him, worried. She'd never seen him like this.

Stefan let out a scream and threw the few things from a desk in the corner crashing to the floor. Caroline jumped at his sudden burst of rage. She couldn't blame him. He'd lost his brother. Damon hadn't always been the best big brother to Stefan, but he loved him. Caroline, after all, know how hard it was to lose someone important. She'd lost her father, and now Bonnie. Tears formed in her eyes thinking of Bonnie, she'd lost her twice.

Stefan pounded his fists on the wall bringing Caroline out of her thoughts. She went to him and grabbed his hands, stopping him from hitting the wall again.

"Stefan, shhh..." He started sobbing and fell into her arms. She tried to control her own tears and be strong for him, but a few escaped and landed on his shirt. He wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"It's going to be okay. I'm here for you." She whispered.

"There has to be a way. I won't stop until I have my brother back."

*****Present*****

"We won't let her." Stefan wasn't sure how true his words were. He hoped she was strong enough to get through this. "As much as it hurts, she needs to feel. We can't let her forget how much she loves him. That's when she'll want to turn it off. When she doesn't feel anymore."

Caroline nodded. She understood; when you didn't let your feel pain you didn't want to feel anything. That's when it's not worth feeling.


End file.
